Ensuring Food Safety through a Culture of Continuous Learning

1.0 Training of Regulatory Officials

The FSSAI recognizes the importance of training and education in building a competent regulatory staff. The FSSAI requires a well-trained and competent regulatory staff to ensure that food safety laws and regulations are effectively implemented and enforced. By providing regular training opportunities, the FSSAI ensures that its regulatory staff is well-equipped to carry out their duties effectively and efficiently, ultimately contributing to the safety of the Indian food supply.

Clauses 2.1.2 and 2.1.3 of Chapter 2, Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 underline the need for training for Food Safety Officers and Designated Officers. Considering this mandate, accordingly Induction, Refresher and Need based training are being provided to them.

During the Calendar Year 2025 a total of 25 Training Programmes were conducted for the Regulatory Officials (Designated Officers, Food Safety Officers) from various states and organizations, wherein 1,690 officials/officers were trained and the details of these programs are as follows:

i. Induction Training Programmes for Food Safety Officers (FSOs)

During the year 2025, Six Induction Training Programmes for Food Safety Officers (FSOs) had been conducted wherein a total of 362 FSOs were trained in these training programmes.

ii. Induction Training Programme for Designated Officers (DOs)

One Induction Training Programme for Designated Officers (DOs) had also been conducted to a total of 43 Designated Officers were trained in this training programme.

iii. Refresher Training Programmes for Food Safety Officers (FSOs)

Five Refresher Training Programmes for Food Safety Officers (FSOs) had been conducted in which 239 FSOs were trained in these trainings during the period.

iv. Refresher Training Programme for Designated Officers (DOs)

Additionally, one Refresher Training Programme for Designated Officers (DOs) was conducted wherein a total of 26 DOs had been trained in this training programme.

v. Need Based Training Programmes

Furthermore, during the period twelve Need Based Training Programmes had been organized through offline and online mode wherein a total of 1,020 Regulatory Officials were trained in these training programmes.

2.0 Training of FSSAI Officials

Staff Training Unit of Training Division aims to create & promote a robust culture of continuous learning & development of Officers/Officials at FSSAI.

To give impetus to the capacity building initiative in FSSAI, Staff Training Policy-2023 has been formulated and launched on 26.06.2023 to provide the FSSAI's employees with the requisite training and development opportunities.

From 01 January 2025 to till date, 2,194 officials have undergone various training/workshops/certificate courses.

Staff Training Unit has successfully organized the following trainings:

Induction Training Programme – NIPUN

Induction training programme titled Nurturing Individual Potential and Unleashing Networking (NIPUN) for the newly recruited officials/officers to acquaint them with the organizational procedures and workflow.

• 10th NIPUN was organized from 21st April – 9th May 2025 on-boarding 7 participants cutting across various cadres and grades at NTCFSS, Ghaziabad (Classroom) & On the Job Training at FSSAI's Regional Offices Kolkata and Ghaziabad.

Orientation Training Programme for Officers/Officials on Deputation to FSSAI

• For officials on deputation to FSSAI an Orientation Training Programme was organized from 29th April – 6th May 2025 covering 18 participants at NTCFSS, Ghaziabad and OJT at FSSAI's Regional Offices.

Need Based Trainings

Need-based training sessions on various topics were conducted from January to December 2025 for Officers/Officials across HQ, Regional Offices, Branch Offices, and NFLs, covering both physical and online modes. A total of 1,288 officers attended these training sessions.

Training of Custom Officials engaged in Food Import Clearance System

281 Customs Officials designated as Authorized Officers were trained at Bhopal, Indore, Chandigarh, Vadodara, Lucknow, Jogbani and Kolkata.

Training of FSSAI Officials on Laboratory Quality Management Systems and Internal Auditor as per IS/ISO/IEC 17025:2017

Four-day Training Program on "Laboratory Quality Management Systems and Internal Auditor as per IS/ISO/IEC 17025:2017" was conducted at BIS Noida. A total of 8 Officers attended the training from July till date.

Nomination Based Training Programmes

During 2025, a total of 29 FSSAI officials attended residential programmes organized by NPC, ISTM, and the Art of Living Foundation, covering areas such as e-Procurement (GeM), RTI & Office Management, Preventive Vigilance, Good Governance, Establishment & CCS Rules, Pension/Retirement Benefits, as well as Personal Excellence. These programmes were held at NPC centres in Munnar, Gangtok, Leh, and Goa, at ISTM, New Delhi, and at the Art of Living Foundation, Bengaluru, enabling officials to enhance their technical, administrative, behavioural and governance competencies.

Mission Karmayogi

A Three-Day Masters Training Programme under Mission Karmayogi (Phase 2) was conducted from 11–13 June 2025 at FDA Bhawan for 24 Master Trainers, followed by a One-Day Employee Training Programme for 539 Officers/Officials across HQ in June 2025, Regional/Branch Offices and NFLs. These physical-mode training aimed to build leadership capacity, strengthen behavioural and functional competencies, and promote a culture of continuous learning and citizen-centric governance.

3.0 Details of Food Handlers Training from 01.01.2025 to 12.12.2025

Between January 1, 2025, and December 12, 2025, a total of 14,206 training sessions were conducted, imparting skills to 7,90,599 food handlers. The initiative primarily focused on Food Safety Supervisors, with 12,528 sessions covering 6,16,783 individuals. Additionally, 1,73,816 Street Food Vendors were trained across 1,651 sessions, while institutional capacity was strengthened through 37 Training of Trainer (ToT) sessions attended by 717 participants.

As part of the 'Lok Kalyan Mela' under PM SWANIDHI scheme organized by Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, FSSAI SRO has organised street food vendor training program at Telangana on 18.09.2025. This training program marked the start of 2 week long street food vendor training in various states of South India. Training was conducted by the FSSAI empaneled training partner M/s DCI Multiskills Pvt Ltd and was attended by 281 street food vendors in Medchal, Khammam and GHMC urban local bodies of Telangana.

FoSTaC Training of Trainers (ToT) program on Basic Catering General held on 12.12.2025 in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. FoSTaC Training of Trainers Program (ToT) on Street Food Vending held on 26.11.2025 for Food Safety Officers of FDA at Kolkata, West Bengal. Street Food Vendors Training Programme on 28.11.2025 at the Lok Sabha constituency of Haridwar under the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) initiative in collaboration with the State Food Safety.

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